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Whether you’re heading to Grandma’s Wharf or Disneyland, our wheels make traveling with your kids a breeze.
In resort or in .css-1me6ynq{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem ;color:#125C68;-webkit-transition:all 0.3 with smooth in-out;transition:all 0.3 with smooth in-out;}.css-1me6ynq:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration- color: #595959;} Going to Disney World with kids sounds like fun. But every parent of an infant, toddler, or preschooler has the same persistent fears about travel. How to get through security at the airport with a child? How to get on and off the Disney bus with a 2 year old? If you’re packing a family car for an epic journey, how does the stroller fit in with everything else?
The answer to everything is that you will have a great travel stroller. Whether you want it to last you for years to come, or you just need an inexpensive set of wheels to get you through a particular trip, this list has something for you and for any child from birth to 6 (plus a twin stroller if you’re take two). A lightweight stroller will help you get through your childhood years without going crazy. But another plus of these travel strollers is that they are compact and snap-fold (we’ve tried them all!), so you can move around like a travel ninja. Our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have reviewed over 30 strollers over the past five years, and in this article we select those that fit in tight spaces (some overhead on airplanes) and evaluate how easy they are to carry and carry. storage space for each stroller.
At the end of our story, we offer a shopping guide to help you narrow down the features that are most important to you, as well as more information about how the experts at Good Housekeeping Lab and our consumer group tested our strollers.
When we named it our 2023 Family Travel Awards, we named it “Best in Class Foldable Stroller”. The real secret is that it doesn’t sacrifice comfort for compactness, so expect the usual high-end Bugaboo fabrics, deep seats, real sun visors (they don’t skimp on sun protection here!) and retractable footrests, just smaller and bigger Cute shape is perfect suitable for travel.
One test mom especially liked the crease. “The fold button is on the handle, so you just push and quickly fold it. In our regular wheelchair, you have to bend over and press the lever,” she said. “In addition, Butterfly’s glide characteristics are comparable to larger strollers. I can easily push my son uphill with one hand!”
Another note about folding: A folding stroller can stand on its own, which is great if you need it to sit for a minute while you put your baby in the car or otherwise keep an eye on things. You don’t need to lean it anywhere. But some users noted that it takes some skill and practice to unfold the butterfly: you shake it and then you need it to lock into place before you can put your child in it.
If you’re just going on an extended vacation and don’t plan on traveling much, you’ll probably need a modest stroller that won’t cost you more than a hundred dollars. The tiny 3D Mini can cost as much as a registered one-way bag, and at just £11, it’s easy to carry on the go.
The basket is small – too big for a regular sized diaper bag – but has a zippered parent console that holds two drinks. It has a reasonable sun visor and the seats recline. For 5-inch plastic wheels, there is no seat upholstery or springy suspension. It was designed to make it easy for toddlers and preschoolers to navigate the flat playground, and it does it well.
The 3D mini pleat is long and as big as a traditional umbrella. (Got it? That’s why this style is called the “umbrella stroller.”) It doesn’t stand up when folded—like an umbrella, it needs to be leaned against a wall or car, or laid on the floor like a car trunk. , or carry it with one hand, it is lightweight and easy to carry.
Not only does it weigh less than 15 pounds, its durable wheels (made from molded rubber, not plastic) can handle sandy trails. This is what our tester did, saying, “We took a chance and rode a nature trail in Puerto Rico and it worked out great! Baby Carrier” City Tour 2 is also able to move smoothly through the city streets. It comes with a host of features, including a deep, near-flat seat, comfortable calf rests, and a large sun visor.
Easy to fold with the push of a button on the handle. But when folded, it is not as small as the others; when folded, it can stand up, but it will not fit in the above-ground plane. It comes with a carrying bag for easy airport check-in. The handle height is less than 40 inches, making pushing difficult for tall parents.
There is no better combination of car seat and stroller for traveling with a newborn. Doona is a child car seat that is used in a car, after which you can lower the wheels and take it for a walk. There is no need to travel with a car seat and stroller because it is 2-in-1. If your travels involve sharing vehicles or cars with different family members, you’ll be happy to have this innovative gear that doesn’t require you to transfer your child from one place to another. The car seat is also FAA approved for air travel. “Now I tell every mom that she needs it,” said the tester, who started traveling the Duna with her 2-month-old baby.
It has a sun visor (although you can buy an extension for full protection from insects, rays, and rain) and its telescoping handle can be adjusted to different heights. It doesn’t come with storage baskets, but Doona sells compatible storage bags, or you can hang your own on the handle. Because it’s only available for toddlers up to 35 pounds 32 inches, most families don’t need it by a child’s second birthday. “I have found that the first two years of my three children’s lives are worth it,” says Rachel Rothman, our chief technologist at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “It’s versatile and great for travel!” Note that it comes with a LATCH compatible car seat base, but if you’re traveling without a base, it can also be secured with a seat belt.
Many of the models on our list are great for flying because they are foldable and compact. But if you fly a lot—say, to and from grandparents four or five times a year—we love that The Compact can be delivered in a variety of ways. This is important because children are always in and out of wheelchairs at the airport. When you are out for a walk, for example, with a child on one arm, use the back strap to slung it over your shoulder. Or place the stroller in the included backpack bag to easily carry your baby and carry the stroller on your back when you enter the plane and the stroller will fit in most overhead luggage compartments. (This bag can make it easier to check at the gate if the flight crew says the luggage compartment is full.)
When we named it the 2022 Parent Award, we mentioned a few other great features: a basket that is more spacious than most compact strollers, so it can fit in a diaper bag; coasters for parents (due to caffeine); and a raincoat. just in case you go out in the rain. One of our concerns is that you can only buy directly from the brand, which sometimes sells out. Also, this is not an option for newborns, your baby must be at least 6 months old to ride.
It’s all about folding! The Sparrow folds into the neatest 15″ x 14″ rectangle and stows away in its own carrying case. It doesn’t just fit overhead on an airplane, and we can imagine many other travel scenarios for it: tucked away in a desk drawer in a hotel room or in a cruise ship cabin, underfoot on a Disneyland train, placed on your shoulders as you ride on a escalator with a baby in her arms.
To be so small, it has a lot of flexible joints and tiny wheels. Plus, it weighs less than 13 pounds. This combo will make the Sparrow feel more wobbly than the others on our list. It rolls well on the slippery sidewalks of New York, but especially with a light child in it, it bounces over cracks, bumps and curbs. Luckily, if you ride it primarily through airports or theme parks, you should be fine.
Some other remarks: The handle is low (not for tall parents), but the seat is high (to prevent toddlers from dragging their feet close to the ground). The basket is small, blocked by two crossbars, it doesn’t hold much, except for a blanket for a stroller and a bottle of water. Tiny umbrellas are minimal.
Another winner of our 2022 Parenting Awards, we say it’s “the perfect balance between a comfortable, compact and durable full-size stroller.” baby car seat, if you need it – UPPAbaby Mesa or any other brand (do not forget to buy the appropriate adapter for your brand).
If you are using it at the airport, you will have to check it in as it will not fit over your head on an airplane. But its small, freestanding fold means it takes up very little space in your home or hotel room. You get all the features of a full-size stroller, including a roomy sun canopy, a leatherette bumper bar to hang toys on, and a basket that holds up to 20 pounds. Tall parents will appreciate that the handles are over 40 inches off the ground.
Are you traveling together? We’ve named this stroller “Best Disney Twin Stroller” based on real testers’ experience. It fits Disneyland size requirements but weighs less than 20 pounds, so getting in and out is easy, and it folds vertically, making it easy to drop and pick things up without leaning the stroller against it.
Each seat has a large canopy (very important for long walks in the sun!), individual seats recline so each child can lean back if needed, and toy bumpers. This helps prevent preschoolers from jumping out at the sight of Mickey. The handle height is ideal for tall parents, but the basket is very small and hides under the seat. Twin+ comes with a parent cup holder, and the brand sells travel essentials like stroller straps and storage bags separately.
Little older travelers ages 2 and up can use an umbrella stroller like this one to give them a place to sit when they need a break, but it won’t cost parents much. Mesh sidewalls keep air flowing when you venture into warmer areas, while the rear suspension provides a smoother ride than other less expensive umbrella-style models.
The handle style is two grips and a long stem, since this is an umbrella style, it has a long, thin fold to be placed on the ground or leaned against something. You use your legs instead of your arms to bend, push off the hoop and step on the sidebars. The seat cushion is machine washable and comes with parent cup holders. Best for toddlers and seniors; for babies, there is no suitable place for toys or child car seats.
If travel is a big part of your lifestyle, don’t skimp on anything – this comfortable, well-made compact stroller comes with a long list of amenities, including a carry bag, a magnetic closure so you can quickly lock your baby in place, and a no-tightening strap. so the height of the strap can be easily adjusted as the child grows. You can use the TRVL from birth until your child weighs 50 pounds (usually around 6 years old) and you can use it with the Nuna Pipa lightweight infant car seat without any additional adapters (the car seat rests on the bumper).
Suspension on all wheels makes this car more like a full-size sidecar. There aren’t as many under-seat baskets as several other options on this list. But TRVL fans love the fold that you can do with one hand while holding your baby with the other. When folded, it will stand on its own. Note, however, that it’s only a few inches larger than it can fit in an aircraft’s luggage compartment, so plan to check this stroller in.
If you love the idea of a self-folding stroller that folds at the touch of a button while your baby is in your arms, this model is just right for that and at a good price. Getting in and out of the car is easy as the Otto folds up and can be carried over the bumper. You can use the Evenflo car seat without any separate adapters, with suspension on the front molded rubber wheels.
There is a gap between the seat and the canopy that lets air through, but it also allows the baby to squirm and see you, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. We have noticed that online reviewers have reported squeaky wheels, we haven’t experienced this in lab tests, but this appears to be an issue in real use. This model comes with a parent cup holder. Note that the Otto is heavier than most of the other single strollers on our list, yet still weighs less than 20 pounds.
We test in the Good Housekeeping Institute lab and in the real world to see how the stroller performs for traveling families. Over the past five years, we have tested more than 30 strollers for ease of movement, taking into account a dozen factors, including the weight of the stroller, the ease of folding it, the size of the stroller when folded, and the ease of use. equipped with the size of a travel bag, an umbrella and a basket, whether the seat can be folded down for relaxation, etc. We roll the stroller in different terrain and calculate how long it will take to assemble the stroller from the box.
Your reality is everything: there are some things that a travel stroller can’t provide, but a large full size stroller can. A compact stroller won’t have a very large basket because it has to fold very compactly. It also won’t have big, heavy wheels, which means it won’t roll as smoothly as a stroller with air-filled tires. Expect small nimble wheels on a compact frame – this is a travel stroller. Here are the features you should consider:
✔️ How small does it take to fold it? If you want to push your stroller right into the plane and throw it into the overhead bin, look for a travel stroller that will fit in there. IATA recommends that carry-on baggage should not exceed 22 x 18 x 10 inches.
✔️ If you are flying, a bag is a great backup plan. If the stroller is going to be carried overhead but there are too many people on the plane, a carrying bag can make boarding easier. Many families, including many in our lab, plan to use access checks first. You push your child to the boarding gate, wait to board, then fold and pack the stroller and the airline staff will label it so you can be picked up at the bridge when the plane lands. .
✔️ Familiarize yourself with the requirements of Disneyland if you are going there. When unfolded, your stroller should be no more than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long, which is enough for a day in one of the parks (that is, without a stroller).
✔️ Pay attention to the age ratings. If your child is only a few months old, it may be unsafe and uncomfortable for them to be upright in a pushchair for children older than 6 months. If you are traveling with a newborn, look for a travel stroller that can be used from birth. Sometimes that means using a seat that can fit a child car seat. Also, be sure to check with your pediatrician about your child’s current weight and height, and check the specific stroller requirements to make sure it fits. If you have to wait several months for a stroller, you might consider traveling with a baby carrier.
✔️ What happens when you fold it? We love strollers that fold to stand because you can put them on and forget about them while you take care of the rest of your travel and packing hassle. However, sometimes when the car is crowded, long thin umbrellas fold well for road trips. You can almost always fit an umbrella cart! Watch the video online to learn how strollers fold and how to carry them when folded.
✔️ We love the canopy. We’re sun protection freaks (see our best sunscreens for kids), which is why all of our products have at least some shade. We wouldn’t recommend one of those super cheap sling strollers that don’t have canopies. But not all awnings are created equal: some stretch far, some have mesh panels for ventilation, and many large awnings have viewing windows that make it easy for you to look down and see what your child is doing. Some awnings make noise when you get in and out, while others don’t. Finally, some use UPF 50+ sun protection fabrics which are better.
For more than a century, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been helping consumers make safe and secure choices when shopping for home and family products. Some of Hyundai’s initiatives that we are proud of include our 2023 Sustainable Innovation Award and our 2023 Best Family Car.
This list is compiled by Jessica Hartshorne, a writer who has covered the juvenile products industry for decades, most recently for American Baby and Parents Magazine. Reports on prams and more were curated by Rachel Rothman, chief technologist and executive technical director, a 15-year veteran of the institute and a mother of three. Both experts tested the travel stroller in the lab and while traveling with the family, and reached out to consumer testers for additional feedback and opinions.
Jessica (he/she) is a freelance writer with years of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. Mom of two children and two cats, her previous work can be seen on American Kids and Parents.
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Post time: Apr-20-2023